boxes
by Anniesik
Summary: Art world AU. After Eren, a 19 years old artist, gets his heart broken by one neighbour, one even more complicated moves there. On the other hand, Levi decides to pursue his long-lasting dream. Riren. Eren&Ymir friendship.
1. Chapter 1

Thank you, for picking this up ❤

I don't own Shingeki no Kyojin.  
I own storyline, writing and cover art.

Feedback welcomed, please enjoy ^^/

***** chapter one**

* * *

Climbing up long stairway up into his atelier, Eren wished he could meet his neighbour there again. His beautiful blonde neighbour who occupied his mind way too frequently in last two months.

Thanks to Annie's usual secretiveness and only few topics, which actually interest her, Eren was addicted to finding out more about her - addicted to any shortly displayed spark of interest he could inflict in her responses.

Eren was lucky, when it came to random encounters with her, so his wish had maybe a close fifty-fifty chance of fulfilment.

Lately, he had spent the majority of his time here, although he theoretically still lived with his family in a different part of the city. Annie wasn't the only motive thought, it was simply more practical staying here. Not only was it closer to his school, he could paint all of his free time away (if he was going through an inspiration attack) but he could also stay away from his sister. As nice as she was, she wasn't trying very hard at letting Eren grow up and build himself a life of his own - as well as build a life for herself. So he kept his distance for both of their well-being.

He took the last turn of the staircase and froze.

Annie was there, as he had hoped. But there were also bunch of boxes filled with everything one could need for a comfortable living. Even pieces of small furniture were moved out into the corridor. No, this wasn't a clean up, that much was obvious.

Eren knew, but couldn't stomach it right away. Was this really happening?

"Annie?" he walked up the remaining set of steps, not yet able to ask a whole question. Any of the questions that stormed through his mind. Although Eren should be thankful for them not reaching his tongue, as he would probably want to fall through a very hollow hole in few days just at the remembrance.

The adressed girl turned around, showing Eren an expression he never saw her wear before. A wide teeth-showing smile.

"Hello, Eren. Meet my boyfriend..."

He didn't hear much after that. Somehow it faded out... he couldn't make out anything Annie said anymore.

But she was moving away of course. And with her boyfriend. That much he did understand.

He kept their conversation going, but only in an internal monolog. _This doesn't seem like a new relationship. Annie, you seem so happy. I've never seen you smile like that. You even flushed. _

At the end of this conversation he heard Annie assuring Eren they'll see each other in school. Most probably she sensed his bewilderment. He responded with a 'goodbye' before stepping into his atelier. Well, he hoped he did at least.

When he locked the door behind himself, falling on a mattress, he kept his eyes half-opened half-closed, looking up blurrily.

* * *

Noise. Hmmm.

He rolled around few times and tried to figure out which one is the snooze button again. Sleepyhead didn't want to wake up yet from the comfort of dreaming but eventually, he crawled up and washed his face, still in a daze, as it took him a real long time before he could make any sense of what a morning even means.

School was going to be hell today. That was his first coherent thought. There was only a tiny chance he would meet Annie, since they didn't share any classes and a significant amount of their classes were in a completely separate buildings. Eren was grateful now, that she studied a different field than him.

_But why wouldn't she tell me she was in a relationship? _

He started to muse unwillingly again. Weren't Eren's intentions obvious? He felt betrayed. Made fun of. Now the boy realised that his behaviour could have been simply interpreted as a friendly one, but that didn't change a thing about his heartbreak. At least for some more time it didn't.

Eren wished he could stay alone and paint through the whole day and night-time, but as he was going to paint in school just as well, he decided not to slack off.

He didn't have much time thanks to his brooding over last night's affair and it's aftermath. After he awoke from the dull gawking at the world behind his window, he realised he needed to leave. The teenager rushed into picking up all he needed from his clutterful whereabouts as quickly as possible and left for school.

* * *

Gladly, it was considered normal for Eren to be engrossed with an assignment too much to communicate with anyone. He was already on top of the class (in both the quality of results and abundance of ambition) even when he wasn't in a need of coping, so it was admirable, that he could bring even more depth to the canvas he was working on now. But no one noticed and no one bugged him.

He felt much better now. He even stayed in school for much longer than he needed to, not really having the motivation to leave for his atelier. And maybe... just maybe, that might have been caused by the truth, that he wasn't gonna meet Annie in the corridor.

But time passed by quickly and he had to leave eventually.

It was only a shortish walking distance but he prolonged the time needed for it to nearly a double. And as he arrived on the floor, on which his atelier was, he once again encountered a person with boxes in there.

He observed the man who was seemingly finishing the process of moving in. He looked approximately ten years older than Eren himself. He didn't seem to have fun, but than again, who would while cleaning and organizing.

Eren's zealous side awoke, wanting to be friendly with his new neighbour just as he got on well with everyone else on this floor. He proceeded to face the man.

"Hello. I'm Eren. Are you moving in... here? I am from next door," he pointed at his door and then realised he should have probably been less familiar with an elder.

Before the man responded, Eren noticed how short the man was. Short indeed and even shorter against the impression he gave off when observed from the mezzanine floor.

"Bug off, kid." the man did hardly look at him, carrying on with his cleaning.

Eren stutters, trying to get his tounge to roll out a sentence. Unsuccessfully so. _What the hell was that? Was it THAT rude to ask? _But he just stormed through his door without further comments, wondering if the adjoining flat might have been cursed.

* * *

Eren let go of all the frustration towards the man in no time. Somehow, even though he got the door slammed shut nearly literaly in his face a few days after their first meeting, he still thought about him whenever his mind wasn't completely occupied with some particular task.

That was a new thing though, as he spent the last few days still thinking about Annie. But slowly he got to the point where he started to believe, Annie just didn't notice his feelings. That it might have not been a deliberate hiding of information. Maybe she just didn't know how to tell him she had a boyfriend or she didn't think it was needed to be shared with him at all.

He wasn't sure if she deserved it, but still ended up letting himself dismiss all scornful feelings he held towards her.

And so the less he thought about his past neighbour, the more he thought about the new one.

He didn't yet know his name, as his door nor his doorbell held it yet. However, he knew the man must definitely be older than him and than anyone in the building. It was a house full of students after all. Eren started being oddly curious about why an approximately thirty year old man would be stuck there.

He considered that he could be in some kind of trouble. He was a bit worried about him. About a man, whose name he did not know. About the man, whose voice spoke to him only twice and never forgetting some kind of insult while he was at it.

"Maybe I should be concerned about my mental health," he muttered to himself with the nape of his neck unflexing, followed by a bitter chuckle.

"Finaly realised you are mental, did you?" came from behind him.

_What the hell? ...Damn it._

He absolutely forgot about his whereabouts. But at least the person, who overheard the end of his inner monologue, was a person he had no real desire to impress.

Really, just a stupid looking, long faced jerk, who tried hard to ridicule him whenever he got the chance. Why did he just pointlessly give him a great opening? Eren started to internally scold himself, instead of coming up with a witty comeback.

"No, I didn't. Bet you could help me with a problem like that, you know a lot."

"So what was that muttering about anyways?" Jean ignored his lame comeback and just sounded genuinely interested.

Eren knew he was not a complete jerk all the time. Only a majority of it. He could be fun sometimes, too. Or maybe it was just the stories about him. Sometimes rumours stormed through the school. Let's just say, that Jean enjoyed the bohemian lifestyle of an art student more than actual art producing.

And Eren sure wasn't about to share his odd concerns with him. Luckily, he didn't have to come up with an evasive answer as they got interrupted by half the class storming into the lecture hall. And a little group within those people started shouting at Jean to join them.

He did not expect anyone to come talk to him, because he didn't have any close friends in school. He talked to no one or everyone, depending on his mood.

He might have been in the mood to talk to someone, but as Jean left and the class was about to start... it didn't matter. Eren practicaly spoke to people only before starting a new work and that happened in the school ateliers, not in the lecture halls.

* * *

The art history lecture lifted his mood dangerously high. He loved the subject, thanking god for the best professor he could have. He told them the weirdest details about the artworks' backgrounds or lives and quirks of the painters themselves, which they wouldn't normally find in textbooks.

He was looking forward to sharing all the new curiosities with Ymir.

Although she usually knew every one of these 'curiosities' before he told her, that being partially the reason, why he was so interested in his art history lectures. He just wanted to bring something new to the table... He wasn't trying to impress her personally. It was just his competitiveness, that she awoke in him with her constant friendly mockery.

However, Ymir was the person in charge of his career beside just being a close friend. She was a manager in the commercial gallery where he was exhibiting and selling all of his works.

As to why he was already selling so well at his age - he got really lucky as a kid. He was twelve when he became hot news in the art world. He owes it all to an art competition and media, which showed him in the best light, making him the name of a 'prodigy'. And up till now he still successfully lived of that spark of luck mixxed with continuous hard work.

_Tomorrow!_

He excitedly recalled, that he had a way to the gallery planned for tomorrow in order to bring new paintings in.

* * *

When he arrived at his provisional place, he immediately started choosing paintings, he would be bringing to the gallery tomorrow. It was easier than it usually was. He intended to get rid of all those canvases, which were entirely inspired by Annie. Directly, or not so much.

He reluctantly looked at the first one. And he knew he wanted to keep it.

Still, Eren understood his need to let go. After some voiceless reasoning he shoved it into a transportable package made out of paper, doing the same with the other paintings. And as he leaned the last one of them against the wall he straightened his back and a pleasant feeling washed over him.

It's wrapped up.


	2. Chapter 2

***** chapter two**

* * *

What a shithole.

This line - although in many different, more colourful and descriptive variations – ran through Levi's mind for what seemed like the eightieth time since he moved here. Which was an outstanding achievement, considering he did that only a week ago.

There was no helping it. He wouldn't be able to ever get those windows to shine, as it seemed, that some brat had stickers all over it. Just like the plunk floor, which will never be clean enough for him to be willing to unpack his crap. The boxes were spotless in comparison.

Levi was unaware that art school students made for the majority of the lodgers here in both the past and the present. He was standing in a former atelier, photoatelier and just recently even a makeshift black room, trying to clean it enough for the life hardened and filth-hating self. In vain did he try, truly in vain.

But even before he got here he planned to move soon. He only had to get on his feet once again, get a job and then wait for a better house to pop in advertisements. He mentally checked with himself to keep an eye on the adds from now on, not willing to miss any good deals.

However, the jobhunt occupied a number one spot on his (not physically existing) to do list. As well as it was the last thing he felt like doing. Levi was tired and lacking any desire to do anything.

He expected a boast of energy just from the fact he finally lived in the country he yearned for for so long. His own tiredness ended up wholly and angrily blamed on this flat alone. Germany was supposed to bring him everything he missed in France! He was getting dejected and barely had any will to stop himself from dwelling on it too much.

But he eventually did, pushing himself to believe that there were cleaner places in Dresden. He didn't know where he was headed to just yet, but thankfully he was sure he didn't have problem with returning here at the end of the day, so he just left the flat with few necessities on him.

And in almost no time he found just the right place. A perfectly clean and quiet place.

Levi had only a few soft spots, but damn it, art galleries and museums were two of those. The only possible situation, in which he would walk out of them before hours passed, was if there was a school excursion, filling the place with goddamned loud and obnoxious brats. And well, also maybe if the exposition wasn't vast enough to spend at it such time.

This particular one didn't seem tiny from the outside, but he knew he couldn't judge it by the size of a building, since that said nothing about the amount of art displayed in there. Before entering the building he read the name, _Die Jäger_. Since he walked around for a little while now, he got used to everything being in German. Of course he spoke it well, it was around fifteen years now since he decided to spend his life here. Before he got around to make the transition itself happen, he at least learned the language first. It was suprisingly easy, maybe because he had a young and spongy brain at that time. He cut his own thoughts out at that point. Feeling old suddenly.

_Die Jäger._ Hunters. As he got closer to the entrance, he saw that it was a commercial gallery. Well, _that is unfortunate_, he thought. It seemed that this gallery was hunting down new potential talents. He went in anyways, hoping he shared taste for art with the man in charge here, because, hell, could experimental art be dreadful!

It smelled so great in there. He got his entrance ticket from a reception girl, who had a dazzling smile on sooner, than she could possibly see him. She was standing up behind her counter and looking up at him. _Up_ at him. Levi could get used to that.

She was just bidding him to enjoy his visit but got interupted by a telephone ringing. Levi left with an understanding nod, heading into the first expo room. It didn't seem messy. It was well put together, too. There were only paintings in here, hanging on the clean white walls and then two doorless exits. The feeling of those paintings devided the space into five apparent sections. He was right about that, finding out later, that exactly that many different artists shared this space.

Levi circled around the whole gallery, devouring every information accessible, comparing the prices, recognising different art styles and influences in the paintings. There were also some instalations and sculptures, but he didn't like those. When it came to statues, he had a very refined taste and did not tolerate the stereotypical themes of contemporary art. It was cheap, he thought, to make a sexual statue and describe it as a protest towards model society. That just wasn't attractive. He decided to rather follow the exposition further.

"...in person it's supposed to feel enormous..."

He started to get a feeling, who this gallery's favorite artist was as soon as he stepped in the last hall. The whole space was dedicated wholly to only this one painter and Levi admited, that the artist got the fame rightfully. Although, it might have been the smallest room, it stood out from the rest. It was painted light steel blue in a shade, which didn't hinder the artworks and behind Levi's back hanged a table with the artist's bio.

"...people usually think it to be a high and narrow rectangle. The selection known from postcards and everything is missing all the universe-like feeling, the vast space and the fact they are standing in water..."

Levi's attention to Eren Jäger's bio was interrupted by some brat's voice, who was excitedly rambling about... something. He got back to reading. His eyes slightly widened for the second, in which he realised that the artist was ten years younger than him.

He finished the bio, which explained why such a young boy is already selling so well. And Levi felt old once again.

The paintings spoke to him, maybe not literally, but straightforwardly nonetheless. He could decide, by paying each one of them a throughout study, by which art movement they were influenced, but that didn't change anything about their own odd originality.

"...medieval halo around them. The difference between men and women through geometrical shapes, in comparison to Schiele's..."

The voice he was hearing ever since he entered the last room got less annoying as he started paying attention to what it said. He assumed the topic was secession - or more accurately - Klimt's The Kiss. And as soon as he got into the 'lecture' he appreciated listening to someone so captivated by art.

He was done checking all the paintings, re-checking them and also re-re-checking them. He was breathing in and absorbing the atmosphere in preparation for his unavoidable departure. He lifted an arm in a way it pushed the sleeve up, checking the time on his wristwatch. Realising he had spent here more time than he primary expected, he continued to the exit.

"Right? I was even there. I went to Vienna some five years ago to see them both. Eren, you need to see it sometimes!"

Levi reached the room from where the voices came. He was back in the reception, but the short blond receptionist wasn't present anymore. The place behind the counter was vacant, but leaning against the shiny clean desk were the two noice makers. Although Levi only heard one of them up to just now and that was the guy. Eren, it seemed. Some huge packages were now leaning against the reception desk and Levi put two and two together. Although, without knowing it, he still had another "two" to add into that equation.

The artist's back was facing him, so at the moment, Levi could only observe his saddle brown ruffled hair.

"I'm sure that it ain't got a thing on our beautiful Zwinger though," he exclaimed decisively.

"You won't be such a patriot once you travel the whole world and see what's out there!" the girl wasn't nearly as energetic but one could feel a sense of authority from her. Possibly originating from her height. She had narrow eyes, long black hair and was clad in weird clothes. You could call everything she wore a statement piece. She was looking at Levi now, turned her expression into a business smile and bid him polite but quick farewell once she found out he was not a buyer and plans to leave.

"No way. You are just a traitor for not being extremely proud, seriously... But you will see. After I return from seeing everything that's out there."

Eren didn't turn at him, he was too absorbed in accusing the business woman of betrayal to her homecity. At that time, though, could Levi see his face from the side. Recognising his neighbour, as he left the building.

* * *

His thoughts were a mess.

Levi didn't give much thought to the kid living next to him up to this moment. He wasn't planning on making acquaintances at his new place, since it was to be completely provisional one, so he escaped whenever the kid spoke to him before. Now when he thought about it, the kid was persistent to still try to talk to him after all the failed attempts.

But he wanted to talk to the boy. At first he wasn't looking for reasons why he did. Rather he was reflecting upon his rudness and finding possible ways to make it up to him. Only after he did that the question emerged into his consciousness.

Why did his interest go up suddenly?

He was scowling now, not sure how to respond. Just for the fact that he was Eren Jäger, the artist? Well, that definitely made up for one pathetic demonstration of his reasoning skills.

The scowl brightened. That's right, he kept the scowl, it just appeared more pleasant now, after he found the reason, with which he could be satisfied.

That gallery seemed like a perfect place for him to work at. It was clean and calm and he wouldn't mind doing anything if it was there. He fell in love with the idea. Although he loved art and knew everything about it, he never took it as his career possibility before. But now that changed, as he became aware of the possible connections he could obtain... And so the man finally demonstrated his poor reasoning skills.

_I have all the luck I am supposed to have in Germany..._

With that he opened the door to his apartment, knowing that he is going to get to know Eren after he comes home from _Die Jäger_... _Oh, the artist's surname is the same as the name of the gallery. Is it a coincidence?_

And Levi was left to think about that as well as many other issues concerning Eren. He didn't notice how the thought of getting a job slipped his mind.

And he was only slowly noticing, how much time had already passed by, without a sign of Eren's return.  
Slowly noticing, how tired he was getting.  
And how dejected.


	3. Chapter 3

***** chapter three**

* * *

Eren was strolling down towards his parents' house right after not impressing Ymir once again. He was now freed of the heavy paintings, so he decided to take a walk instead of a taxi. He had no more things to do, except showing up at home, where he didn't sleep for the last four nights. Eren's parents were going to be okay with it, but he had a reason to slow down. He was gonna get scolded by Mikasa for sure.

Anyway, he was in a good mood. He always was after talking to Ymir. Although, usually the time spent with her did not take place in the gallery, he was lucky today and cought her at a less busy hour so they got to talk for half an hour or so. Charged with energy, he knew he'll deal with his sister just fine.

The way to his destination was shortening and soon he was searching for his keys. Before he found them, Mikasa opened the door. Eren thought, that it was kind of creepy, but even thanked her before apologizing right away for not showing up the past four days.

Mikasa did make some fuss anyway. The thing, which worn Eren out, was her more significant closeness to tears than to blowing up steam. It was ehausting, how sorry he felt. But he didn't know how to make her happy, apart from perhaps spending his whole life with her at his side, maybe. That would be no good for any of them in the long run. She was fourteen now, so he hoped she will start to interest herself in someone else soon. And with that thought he got himself ticked off somehow...

His dad was already home, which ment they were most probably waiting just for him with dinner, receiving his message.

And they did. He offered to help with preparations, but Carla's eyes widened, trying to mask her fear as she pushed Eren towards his seat at the table.

Once everyone satisfied their hunger, need for customary family talk and catching up with Eren, everyone eventually excused themselves from the table and went to do their own things.

* * *

In the morning he planned to leave quietly without waking anyone up, but Mikasa was waiting for him downstairs. He wasn't suprised, as that happened many times already.

"Good morning, Eren."

"Yeah. Good morning. Do you have some trouble sleeping? Or are you up to wish me a good day?" he let out a brief chuckle, keeping a cheerful smile on his lips subsequently.

"Will you come home today?" Mikasa was not one to beat around the bush.

As always, he was looking forward to spending his next evening alone with a canvas. It was pleasant to be here, he was thankful for having an amazing family... but he couldn't help thinking of time here as time wasted. His passion was immense and elsewhere.

"I won't be able to, sorry. I've got to work on a homework assignment..." he apologized. Even though he had no school work due on his plate now, this was never an actual lie, with painting being his paying job after all.

Taking further his apology he stepped closer to her and took her into his arms. And when he let go of his hold on her, she was smiling and waving as he fled once again.

* * *

"And that will be your homework. The deadline is on Friday 23rd. Once more, I'm expecting it NOT to be an illustration for Kafka's _Der Prozess_. Other than that, you can take on the assignment any way you like. I hope we are clear. Now back to work," the old man leaves the atelier in slow pace with his eyesight focused on some book already.

The atelier becomes silent except for someone's brush work. That would be Eren. He got the homework instructions the first time they were explained and got back to his work once the man started repeating himself over and over.

He was smiling wryly, realising he got his punishment for lying to Mikasa and actually got the homework he claimed to already have. He was still not thinking about how he will make that assignment happen personally. He heard his classmates started discussing their ideas, influencing each other and undermining all the originality they could have had. Eren wouldn't like to participate or to listen to them right now, so he put his earphones in.

And as soon as he became completely concentrated, something shuffled behind him, making him jump a little.

Eren collected himself when he spotted Jean with, presumably, an intent of scaring him. He refused to give him that pleasure.

"What is it, Jean?" Eren's head turned in an uncomfortable angle.

But the guy bursted out laughing at Eren's pathetic try on camouflage. _Works every time._ After he made sure to laugh in his face properly he resumed a friendly conversation. Eren made fun of him in revange, using some new awkward rumors he overheard, realising too late that he just fed Jean's ego. The guy loved every rumor about his own drunk self.

Eren got invited to some awful sounding party and refused right away. It was a habit of Jeans, inviting him despite the expected refusal. It was a form of their parting for the weekend.

* * *

Eren was about to spend the whole weekend at his atelier. It was what he always did so he didn't give it a single thought. Only then did it hit him. Now that Annie moved, he would be left without any socializing for days. Every weekend from now on. Downcast from the realization he even considered for a moment catching up to Jean to ask him for the details about his invitation, which he previously ignored, but then settled on just calling Ymir or Christa instead in case he felt like talking to someone.

He's got this assignment after all. As well as other ideas that needed to be transfered from his head onto a canvas at some point.

On his way to the apartment building he stopped to do an essential grocery shopping in order to allow himself an uninterrupted work later.

Roaming through the different shelves, having fun with forcing things, which weren't in the danger of breaking, fall into his shopping basket straight from the height, he was suddenly brought to a standstill as his attention was caught by a short, black-haired man, whom he saw at the end of the aisle.

By now Eren knew that the man had no intention of letting him start a conversation. But that only made him more curious. If persistance wasn't the key, he would just have to be smarter about it.

As soon as he appeared his neighbour disapeared behind a shelf once again. Eren, being at the end of his shopping anyways, went in the direction of a checkout counter, which was accidentally also the path the observed man took.

In no time Eren was standing in line right behind him. He was yet to be noticed, so he decided to try and startle him.

"Hi!" he exclaimed, hoping for the shorter man to realise it's directed on him.

Unfortunately, Eren was ripped off of the great pleasure - seeing the result of his action. He would definitely consider it a pity, if he only knew what he missed. But when Levi turned around his face was not contorted in any way anymore and he didn't look surprised at whom he saw.

"Hello, Eren," he responded in a calm voice, making Eren jump a little. That was not even on the list of reactions he would have expected. Why would he greet him like they were familiar, even using his given name.. come to think of it, why did he know his name. He probably did introduce himself during their first meeting, but he would never let himself think that the man paid any attention then.

Their conversation ended for as long as it took them both to exit the shop. Eren didn't understand a thing, but it seemed that Levi waited for him and that they were going to take on the road to their building together. Awkward silence crept in. Both of them waiting for the other one to take the initiative to break it. To not much of a surprise, Eren was the one to start, asking: "So you are in a good mood today or what's with the change of attitude?"

"Yes, something like a good mood. Or do you think I just decided to stop being an asshole?"

Eren chuckled even though the response made him a bit flustered. He couldn't tell if he was just made fun of or if that was the man's character. He could be proud and easily offended, but Eren wasn't planing on making this conversation any more difficult for himself than it already was. After all, Levi was the one, who threw around insults up to this point, so he shouldn't think too much into this.

"If you did for good, that would be great. I got a policy of getting on well with neighbours."

"Please feel unwelocome, whenever you are in need of some flour..."

"Sure, no worries," Eren laughed loudly, while lifting his grocery plastic bag higher into their sight, seemingly showing, that he's got all he needed. But Levi saw in the shop, that it was just a bunch of instant meals, therefore aware of Eren's true response. The likelihood of coming for flour is low... as he doesn't cook.

"I don't know your name," Eren finally asked the question he had been wanting to ask for the past week.

"It's Levi."

"You are foreign?!" his eyes emitted interest. "Where are you from?"

"From France."

"Your German sounds good though. You have been here for a while then?"

"No, I just moved here. I studied the language for a long time though. Probably since I was your age... so it better be good."

"Well, not that I would ever hear an accent like that," he teased. That might have been the longest Levi spoke so far, and Eren noticed, that he might, as a matter of fact, like the way Levi pronounced everything in an exceptionally precise and smoother manner. "For how long have you been studying it?"

Levi was silent and Eren reckoned he was counting.

"Were you thinking that's a subtle way to ask for my age?" he looked directly at Eren, with a gaze as unreadable as ever.

"Not so subtle, I take it?" Eren's hand shot up to scratch his cheek. _I should be glad he started to talk to me on his own, I probably wouldn't be able to "be smarter about it" as I thought._

They were reaching their destination at that point. A great timing to cut off Eren's embarrassment.

Levi was the first to give a goodbye, Eren followed with his own right after and he was suddenly closed in his atelier. _That was kind of rushed_, he though, not knowing what else was he expecting.

He prepared a meal for himself, ate and thought. After he changed into his originally blue - but now colourfully stained - atelier attire, he jumped straight into work. Everything seemed like a process to him now, it was so easy. He saw it clearly. He felt the process of a cold and unknown thing warming up through and through, until reaching their legibility. He understood what his homework was about. Just intercepting on canvas, what he felt right in this moment.


	4. Chapter 4

***** chapter four**

* * *

His arrival had a four-hour delay which left Levi annoyed as well as trapped in the airport for even more time as he waited for a taxi with the rest of all the passengers. The weather was crazy outside, which was also the reason, why his transport from France back to Germany fell behind. He got in a taxi at last and told the driver his address.

It took him by surprise that he would have to travel back to France once more. He made sure to take care of everything that needed to be dealt with before he left for good – and he did – but few days back one more thing popped up unexpetedly. And his savings were now more wretched than before. He would be alright for few more months, but he really needed to wade into the job hunt as soon as possible, since he didn't see his current situation the most adequate, considering his age and pride.

As the taxi was just a minute distance from it's destination, Levi surprised the driver with a change of mind, telling him to stop there, as he realised the flight and its complications left him off very hungry and there was nothing to satisfy his hunger in his flat. He already ate at this place few times and it was very close to his apartment so his luggage will not be a burden.

The café restaurant always had a nice atmosphere but it seemed even more so now, when he escaped the wind and rain outside. However, the weather wasn't as crazy anymore, maybe by the time he will finish his meal, it will be calm outside.

Only few people were inside, so he took a table with four seats in the corner to safely lay his bag next to him. He had started to read a book on the plane and so he fetched it to continue reading it right after he placed his order. It was quite an engrossing read, so even after he finished his meal, ho ordered a coffee to finish at least the chapter before leaving. He looked towards the entrance, where a big window showed the best view of the outside world. The rain seemed to almost cease at this point...

The main door opened and two familiar faces appeared. Eren with the woman from _Die Jäger_ gallery slipped in, both wet from the rain and obviously excited to get in the warm and dry café.

Eren immediately started to look around for a table to sit at and his eyes met Levi's. He waved with a bright smile and then turned to say something to Ymir. Probably asking her if she was okay with meeting his neighbour, as they were now heading towards Levi's table.

_What a coincidence,_ thought Levi somehow enthusiastically. The whole point of talking to Eren was to get to know people from that gallery, after all.

"Hiii!" Eren came trotting to the table, most likely still being a bit high from the weather outside. "Are you waiting for someone?"

"I'm not. Do you want to join me?"

Ymir didn't feel like letting them make her wait and feel awkward in the background so she interrupted them, offering a handshake to Levi with the words: "Yeah, we wanna. I'm Ymir. I work with Eren. And you are Eren's new neighbour, I've heard?" She takes a seat accros from Levi and Eren follows beside her.

"Yeah, I just moved next to him. It's Levi."

"You '_work with me'_?" Eren grimaced. "Why would you say that, we aren't even working right now," he continued in a fake exasperation.

"Then I'm babysiting you right now," Ymir laughed and poked him in his ribs.

And since Levi himself was a sarcastic bastard, he joined Ymir and told her that he could help with that. They carried on until Eren's fake exasperation threatened to turn into a real one, so then Ymir nonchalantly changed the subject.

Soon they were all talking as if they have known each other for years.

"I am getting a feeling I've seen you before," Ymir wondered aloud after a while with her eyes on Levi, but her phone rang and she excused herself from the table after seeing a picture of a blond girl on the screen.

"So you were somewhere over the weekend?" Eren pointed at the bag across from the table.

"Shame, but no, it wasn't a weekend trip exactly. I had to unexpectedly return to France to deal with something in my ex-job. A total waste of time."

"Ex-job? You weren't transfered here?"

"No? Why would you think that?" Levi was starting to be amazed at the way Eren came to the oddest conclusions and seeing them as definite. This was exactly the same as when he had no doubt about his foreignness after just hearing Levi introducing himself with an unusual name. Except, well, this time was Eren mistaken.

"I don't actually know. I assumed that was why you moved here," Eren left the sentence trail off like a question, hoping Levi to explain.

"I moved out of my sheer will... Although to live in that shithole." The man visibly fought a face of disgust as he muttered the second sentence, before he carried on: "I am searching for a job right now."

Eren breathed out. He felt comfortable talking to the man, so he wasn't paying any attention to what he was saying anymore. "Oh, so it was like that. I was wondering."

Levi raised his eyebrow at that. Obviously, he didn't know what Eren meant and at first he thought to leave it without a comment, but then he realised he couldn't possibly pass out on the fun. "You were wondering about me, huh?" he smirked and leaned in closer.

Eren visibly freaked out and thrusted his back into the back of his chair with his eyes widened. Levi didn't pay attention to how happy he was, that Eren was thinking about him in whatever way. He only felt how fun it is to mess with the teen. But he was cut off as Ymir returned to the table.

"What did I miss?" she sat down, making Levi back out casually. He wasn't gonna say a thing, interested in what the other guy's reaction will be.

Eren's eyes slowly narrowed to their natural size. "L-Levi was talking about why he moved here," he regained control over his voice immediately, much to Levi's disappointment. "No, he didn't actually say why he moved in the end. But he said he is searching for a job," he stopped rashly. "Right! Ymir, don't you know about any job openings? I am pretty useless in that aspect, but you know people."

"Nothing comes to mind. Not at the moment anyways."

"Too bad," Levi said, tired all of a sudden. He drank the last gulp of his coffee and realised he would rather stay for a bit longer, even though he spent more than an hour in the restaurant already. Looking towards the window again, he saw that the rain stopped completely. He waved at the waiter, gesturing that he wanted to pay, while telling the duo in front of him that he would be leaving.

„Let's hang out again sometimes," Ymir decided with a grin.

The waiter came and went, making Levi was free to go.

„See you, then," he gave his parting and left the restaurant with Eren smiling at him behind.

Ymir didn't know any job openings. The possibility to work at that gallery was now out of the question. He was let down, but the idea of working in any gallery at all was a good thought. At least he had the desire to work _somewhere_.

He got home and started unpacking. One hour later he found himself still cleaning and being the last thing in the apartment, that was still filthy, he jumped into the shower and continued to muse about today's events. About how fun his coffee with Eren and Ymir has been. About how much fun spending time with Eren was.

He might have initially started to talk to the guy because of the benefits he thought he would draw by it, but even knowing now, that that was not going to happen, he had no intention of breaking contact with him. In fact, one way or the other, he was now oddly relieved, that he didn't have to use him.

It took him a while before he came to a surprising realisation concerning him and Eren.

It appeared that Levi was terribly interested in him.


	5. Chapter 5

********* chapter five**

* * *

A ringtone spread through the atelier, waking up Eren, who was sleeping in on his almost free day. He rolled around on the mattress, nearly slipping from it onto the floor. That wouldn't be very painful, since the mattress was lying directly on the floor itself, but it still couldn't be considered a nice way to wake up.

He picked up the phone in the middle of it's fifth ring, being as awake as he could get in the first half an hour after getting up.

"Hello?"

"Nine on Tuesday is way too early, right, Eren?"

"Ymir? You know and you call anyways. What is it?" he dropped his head back deep into the pillow, knowing he didn't need to pretend to be awake any more.

"I might just be jealous, that you can sleep, while I am already working my ass off for two hours... but it's not only that. I know you are free right now, so I'd like you to stop by the gallery in around an hour from now."

"Is something wrong?" Eren woke up, a hint of panic showed in his voice.

"Is not. In fact, something is right," the phone-destructed voice revealed a hint of wickedness and Eren understood the attitude Ymir had towards speaking about the subject over the phone.

"Since you refuse to tell me, I'll see you in an hour, alright?" he groaned.

"Perfect. See you soon," Ymir cut off the connection.

The teen lied in an unchanging position for a few more moments. His curiosity luckily saved him from falling back asleep.

Yesterday, he had no idea he would have been woken up in the morning, he was only planning to go to school in the late afternoon, just as he did every Tuesday. And he was dead tired now. He slept for so few hours, that he could probably call it an all-nighter with a clear conscience.

Forcefully, he managed to lift himself up. Acknowledging his desperate need for a quick energy boost, he made himself a strong coffee and started to look around for some breakfast.

Since he didn't have any idea, for what purpose he was paying the gallery a visit, he even tried to tame his disheveled hair. Somehow successfully. He didn't care _that_ much. He considered himself good to go and hit the road, making it to the gallery just in time.

Christa was sitting behind the counter but a person entering through the door could only see the top of her head.

"Hi, Christa," Eren greeted the receptionist and then continued with a sly grin. "Ymir called me in, she refused to tell me what is the matter, do you by any chance have an idea?"

Christa laughed at that. "She literally forbid me to tell you. I am sorry." But she was not sorry.

"You are both so weird." A sigh. "Then could you maybe tell me where I'm supposed to go at least?"

"That I can! To the office," she nodded in the direction opposite from the exposition entrance. If it was anyone else, she would obviously have to accompany them, but Eren was viewed as a part of the company by now, so there was no need. Eren waved and headed towards his goal. He softly knocked and waited for a response, getting one immediately.

Ymir was the only one inside the room, she was behind her laptop, her furious typing only interrupted by his arrival.

"Eren, I've got some news!"

"I know. Just tell me already for god's sake..." he was getting very impatient. By the girls' attitudes he reckoned the news was good. However, he was still on edge. And Ymir was enjoying it and laughing at him.

"Well, sit then, would you?" Only after Eren did what he was told, she continued.

"So... Yesterday I got a call from England. They called into the gallery to ask about you. In short, they want to collaborate. The man, who called me, offered to sponsor you as an art critic and a partial owner of some network of galleries, with the headquarters in Britain and two other galleries placed in France. I was researching them yesterday and today, too, so I've prepared some materials, that I can give you if you are interested."

Eren was stunned and didn't interrupt Ymir, who was still in the middle of her explanation.

"His offer didn't include just you, but also this gallery. That doesn't really concern you and I am not yet sure if it's the direction I want _Die Jäger _to go, but when it comes to your personal career, I don't see a risk in it. As I said, I did a long research and you are not the first artist, who was approached by these guys, they have a history and it would just make your name bigger outside of Germany.

Basically, at the moment, your identity is still kind of vague. But I guess we have the chance to make you a star, you up to that?" Ymir ended her serious business speech with a crap cheesy line and a wide grin.

"..." he was still in his dumbfounded state.

"Wow," he continued shortly. "I don't really know what to say. What does it change for me? I am still just going to paint, aren't I?"

"For the most part, yes. But it's usually the artist, who prepares his personal expositions. It's different here, since it's a commercial gallery and I take care of the display myself for all the artists. Also, you will need someone to help you with taking care of everything abroad, as I can't travel with you like that. So that's another difference. Of course I'll give you a contact on the man who called me and you can discuss about how much would you travel and all the other details."

"I can't do anything like that, Ymir!" he exclaimed, uneasy at the thought of what she just said he would need to go through.

"Calm down. It's all easy," she smiled. "You can already afford a consultant and maybe in few years your income as an artist will be enough to have your personal art agent. I might have phrased that wrong, so let me assure you, that your job obviously remains the same. You paint. I'll help you with the rest," she managed to calm him down a bit.

He realised just how thankful he should be to Ymir. If it wasn't for her, he couldn't even be an artist. He would be just another one of those unsuccessful painters, who died in poverty somewhere. The men, about which he so often and passionately talked with this very girl.

"Thanks, Ymir," he blurted out, earnestly touched by the aid she was offering him, as well as his own thoughts.

And for once, the woman took him seriously and then she promised to ask people for a good consultant. "And hopefully I will give you a ring soon."

"Alright," he stood up since Ymir already did the same. "If it's all for now, I will go back to the atelier."

"Sure. Go do some masterpieces for the Englishmen."

"No, I was going to continue sleeping actually."

"You slacker!" she cried out before opening the door and leading the way out of the office. Eren followed her laughing and gave his goodbye to both Ymir and Christa as he left.

He was, indeed, going to get some more sleep. He still had approximately six more hours before his evening figural drawing lesson would begin.

* * *

Eren's eyes slowly opened. This time using considerably less effort, as the cause of waking up was all his alone. For a change, his waking up was accompanied by an alarm alert. All of his exhaustion was gone, but even so, he ended up rolling around in his comfortableness for a bit longer.

At some point during his wallowing in the sheets, the conversation he shared with Ymir earlier that day returned into his mind. That recollection brought a wave of heat over him. He was so nervous about it all, haven't yet quite comprehended all the good aspects of these news. He was looking forward to travelling, if it did came to that, he hoped he would have some free time to check out galleries in the cities he visited.

Eren got up and hopped into the shower. His train of thoughts once more arriving in a mysetrious place. What will he need to do abroad? He never thought about the way expositions are supposed to look like. Just because he paints and has a sense of aesthetics doesn't mean, that he will be good at three-dimensional composition. That is an entirely different line of work. Eren's school offers it as one of their career paths. His restlessness was uncontrollable.

Wearing his usual comfy and colourful clothes, albeit all of them were already faded, he decided to get some food outside and took off to do just that. The hour was just right to get food at the restaurant nearby his atelier without needing to wait for too long. He got in and - as always – he looked around, starting from the table where they have sat with Ymir and Levi. He really didn't expect the man to be there.

"What a timing," Eren followed the direction of his sight with a slow, calm pace. Then he took a seat across from Levi, "Hi."

Slate eyes abandoned the page of Levi's book, capturing Eren in their vision. _He was probably quite engrossed in that book, _thought Eren, taking in Levi's perplexed expression. He did misjudge him though, in reality Levi was just taken aback by Eren showing up and he couldn't instantly control his natural reaction to Eren's face.

"Hello. Yes, you can join me," he responded sarcastically.

Eren lips only curled into a very slight smile. "Thanks. So... what are you up to?" he tried to start a conversation.

"Nothing at all. Finishing my tea," he raised his cup towards his lips, while Eren was unintentionally staring at the piece of pottery. The waitor was on his way to the table, setting Levi (or Levi's drink) free from the boy's attention. Eren placed for an early-evening unfitting offer, coffee and some sweet pastry and turned his blank stare to the fabric at their table once the employee left.

"What is with you today? You keep staring so that I would almost believe, you might be thinking."

"Yeah, I am," Eren stopped, when he realised, Levi just made fun of him. Still, he wasn't bothered at all. "I do some thinking sometimes."

"What about?"

Eren couldn't make out if he was in fact interested or if he was just being polite, so he kept his response shortish. "I just got some news at work this morning and I am still processing it."

His food and coffee arrived, postponing Levi's response.

"That's not telling much," Levi's look of annoyance was growing throughout the whole time the waitor was around. Assuming it was because of the amount of information he recieved, Eren continued.

"Well... Everything I did so far was painting, you know? I didn't take care of anything else, since that was Ymir's job. But now some English guy called into the gallery in order to make me exhibit my works in Britain and France and I don't know how all of that works. Ymir doesn't have time to help me with that stuff. She is trying to find someone who will help, probabl-"

Levi's chuckling brought Eren's blabbling into a halt. He widened his eyes, expressing unwillingly the mixxed feelings, that followed the man's facial expression. In an aggrieved manner he growled: "What?"

"That sounds to me like some pretty good news. Shouldn't you be jumping up and down, celebrating your success?"

Eren knew he should and it made him grow even more dejected, "You don't have to tell me."

"I think I have to," Levi seemed to try calming him down, "Eren?"

"Yeah, it's good. News. I'll travel and organize things I don't know nothing about or whatever," he was getting even more bitter in his hopelessess, realising he was probably slowly turning himself into a brat in the man's eyes.

"Then I can help you. I am in need of a job, you know that," Levi, to much surprise, didn't yet give up on calming Eren down.

"Thanks," left his mouth, only feeling grateful to the fact, that the man didn't leave the table yet. Why did he joined him at his table? He would have never thought that a bit of stress could turn him into such an irritating company. Eren finished what he ordered and payed. They both exited and parted.

"Sorry for being shit company. I'll make it up to you sometime," Eren waved, heading into a different direction.

"See you."

* * *

Once Eren arrived at his evening figural drawing lesson, he got into a much better mood. It was due to his ability to get his thoughts organised as long as he could move freely around paper and catch what was in his mind or before him.

The model today was a young man, probably only slightly older than Eren himself. The pose was nothing extraordinary, but he still enjoyed drawing him. From the begining until the very end his mind didn't leave Levi. From some reason, he felt worse and worse about his behaviour earlier. But he fought it, thinking he will keep to his promise of making it up to him.

As he was drawing for an hour already, his thoughts shifted slowly to the model. As he studied his body – transfering every detail onto the paper – he caught himself comparing this guy to Levi. There were few differences, for instance, Levi didn't have frackles and he was probably half the hight of the huge model. But because Eren wasn't quite in control of his thoughts, he didn't stop himself and went on and on, comparing the two men.

If there only was someone, who would have kept track of Eren's judgements... Then Levi would be undoubtedly announced the winner of whatever this competition could be considered.

* * *

(A.N.: I struggled with the beginning. I wanted to write it... more like this:

_Eren was sleeping. _

_When the phone rings. _

_He answers it. _

_And the voice is. _

_"What are you doing rn?!" _

_He says 'zZzzZZZZ...' ...But WHOO ISS PHOOOONE?!_

Ehm. Ja... :D In all seriousness, this might have been the most fun chapter to write so far. I am loving their subtle relationship, aren't you? And Eren is such a lucker! (no, he is a talent.. you would have to see his paintings to comprehend. They are pure bliss.)

ps.: you might want to watch ShinigamiEater's SNK videos on yt if you didn't get this note. You are missing on some pretty funny stuff... ich glaube zumindest ja ^^)


	6. Chapter 6

***** chapter six**

* * *

"Yes, yes. I hope it turns out this way. It really doesn't seem like a half bad solution."

"If that is so, will you talk to Eren? You have my contact and I'll wait until you two decide. I'm going to go study, though," Levi slightly smirked, oozing confidece, as he rose from his seat in Ymir's office.

After his talk with Eren the day before, he realised, that to actually get the job he will have to talk to Ymir directly instead of via the involved boy himself. The next morning he went to the gallery, in hope, that he will receive the information he just did.

At first, he had some hesitation if he could indeed do the job of helping Eren. Ymir came to a positive conclusion after hearing out Levi's late job experiences, which all involved a great responsibility over workers or public relations. With art being his lifelong interest and his familiarity with both French and English, she said she didn't even need to discuss this for much longer.

Of course, Eren will be the one to decide on the final outcome, but both Levi and Ymir thought there was not going to be any objection from his side. They shared the opinion, that Eren is one to enthusiastically prefer working with a person he already knows to a stranger – than again, who doesn't?

So Levi's confidence was hardly unfounded.

After he got home, he immediately got on internet to search for every piece of information he could get. He was satisfied with realising there was nothing at all that would say he wasn't able to be an art dealer, consultant, manager or whatever people called it.

There were some mentions of needed social skills, but he knew himself, that if it was a conversation concerning work, he was more than alright. And he will surely be a natural at negotiating in favour of his artist.

He knew how lucky he was to start this career path on a case so easy as Eren. After all, the teen wasn't a newbie who would need that much when it came to connections in the art world. They were already asking for him from over the sea. And although it was just a thin strip of sea now, Levi was becoming so avid, that he could imagine a situation in some years, where it will be an ocean.

He was already quite a bit ahead in his mindstorm, when he got interrupted by a knocking from the door.

He got up from his laptop and opened Eren up.

"Uh, hi." Eren seemed timid to Levi as he rushed to explain himself, without a doubt worried about bothering him with showing up unexpectedly. "Ymir called and I didn't know you were serious yesterday!"

"Come in," he said in order to ensure Eren that his visit wasn't a bother.

That seemed to work as his shoulders didn't seem so tense any more when he settled himself in a seat Levi pointed at. He was looking around for a while, although there was not much he could learn about the occupant, most things still in boxes. At least Levi thought that as he sat down across from him, behind his laptop which he closed and shifted sideways.

"Well, have you decided?" he interrupted Eren's looking around with a question that he knew the answer to.

"Of course. It's great! What's gonna happen now?" Eren fixed his eyes on him at long last.

"A meeting with Ymir and some dealing with the men overseas, presumably." Levi realised that Eren has no interest in that side of plans, so he went on: "There we will decide when will the exposition take place, therefore when we leave for London."

"Okay," Eren was grinning, his expression showing a one hundred eighty degree turn from what he was like yesterday evening when they met in the café.

"You are gulliable," he found the right word and let it out in a full voice statement without emotion.

"Wha-Why should I be? Am not."

_He can't accept such a simple fact about himself? It's not an insult. _"Well you were a nervous wreck yesterday, now look at yourself," one corner of his lips rose up a bit.

"I am so sorry about that. I don't understand why I was so nervous. Now, having you, I can see how much of a good news it all is. I finally feel like celebrating!" his face lit up with a bright wide smile, taking Levi's yesterday's statement literally as he jumped up and down excitedly.

Levi's teasing smirk scattered all of a sudden. _Stop it. Just stop what you are doing. I don't have all the self control in the world, I am just a man after all._

"God, this place changed a lot," Eren got back to studying his whereabouts, suddenly feeling an unexplainable awkward atmosphere.

"You were here before?"

"Yeah. I spent a lot of time here," his smile grew back on.

"Yes, I believe you mentioned a policy of talking to neighbours or something," Levi also believed he was masking his irritation quite well.

"I do. Majority of people living here are from my school anyways. But this place is sparkling, it's unbelievable. You must have wasted a lot of time on the cleaning."

Eren knew this room well. He spent here a lot of time, doing who-knows-what with who-knows-who.

Irritated by that he said: "It's not a waste of time."

"All right then."

_He's got nice teeth. _Eren obviously didn't feel the same way about cleaning but he felt the ultimateness of his statement and backed out without argumenting, even going as far as plastering a wide grin onto his face. He was glad for Eren being this way, it will make working with him a piece of cake. But he couldn't bear it now.

"Well, I've got somewhere to go now, sorry to kick you out," Levi was aware of his mask falling apart slowly. He didn't have a place to go, but maybe some hook up bar would be ideal. It's been a while for him and he knew that working with Eren will be tiring in another way for him than arguing with a teenager.

"It's alright," Eren said, looking alright. Damn it. "But take my phone number and ring it before I leave."

"Of course," he saved the contact and rang it, Eren pushing buttons as Levi opened the door for him.

"Bye."

* * *

Levi woke up at noon with a slight headache. He wasn't extremly hungover, but he still felt that he has been drinking last night.

After Eren left, he decided to go look into a gaybar he found on the internet and looked the most decent. But it didn't work out exactly. He didn't think it was because of Eren, because he really wasn't the reason to his unsuccessfull evening. It was just his refined taste. He was either naturally picky or he grew that way through experience. With his height and overall look men often saw him as a clueless bottom, so he got used to carefully choosing his partner for the night, knowing his standarts.

And basically his standarts weren't met yesterday night, so he gave up and went home, settling for only a slight intoxication.

Levi's plans for today were all work related and he was gladly welcoming the change from his late hollow weeks. Deciding how Eren's collaboration with London will work might end up being a long process, but he was taking on that task with Ymir's help and will probably end up spending the whole afternoon in _Die Jäger_.

He started the day with drinking a lot of water and tea to get rid of last night's failure and after proper hygiene and the rest of morning routine he left for work. And he liked the sound of that.

* * *

A week later all the preparations were done, at least the ones which they were supposed to take care of before traveling. Everything went very smoothly. Eren, Levi and Ymir were all sitting in the office presently, finishing up and clarifying for Eren, since his presence in the previous days was only partial.

Today they were shipping the works to London and Eren with Levi were to follow them in two days, too.

Eren was openly full of astonishment and thankfulness towards the both of them. He kept on randomly exclaiming how unbelievably fast everything went and how excited he is for the exposition, all of which made Levi believe he's got the best job in the whole world.

Just now, the duo accros from him led a conversation while Levi was checking e-mails. It seemed that the teen was taking advice for how to excuse himself from school and other stuff, all of which didn't concern Levi, so he was consciously only half present.

The traveling might be a bit exhausting when it came to his self control but he was more confident now than before, thinking that he got used to Eren's closeness during the last week. And although he had to put brakes on himself from time to time, he still got something in return from Eren. The boy didn't know it but he pushed Levi on cloud nine with his blind trust and dependance.

He was taking his job seriously so it was only obvious that Eren would rely on him, but something about his way of showing vulnerability filled him with accomplishment.

But then again, everytime Levi was in a leading position he felt like this. There was no doubt that he was born for an influential career where he could make a use of his natural dominance.

"Is there something else?"

"I think everything is clear... but before I leave, could we get a coffee once more or something?"

"We should but I postponed a lot of work this week so I'm not sure if I'll make it."

"Oh, too bad. Try!" Eren was pleading Ymir for a last randevous before they hit the road.

"Are we done?" Levi stepped in.

"Yupp, we are," Ymir rose from her seat. "Nice work, carry on with it. Contact me if you will and if not, then I will hear from you in few weeks. Go kick ass up there," her business expression fell apart, showing her friendly and an inner weirdo one. Levi saw this behaviour change few times already and it always made him remember his former co-worker. Just like Ymir, she could turn from perfectly serious to batshit crazy in a matter of seconds.

Eren and Levi left the gallery and on their way home they confirmed the time when to be ready to leave the day after tomorrow. The time set was a bit too soon, but since they are leaving in the middle of the night, Eren was worried about oversleeping so Levi got permission to bang on the door if he was not in the corridor by half three.

Levi slipped into his apartment, considering if he shouldn't go out again tonight, but dismissed the idea as he recalled his prior letdowns. He could always go out in London if he wanted to as he won't be working 24/7.

With that he decided for a calm evening on his own with just a book.


	7. Chapter 7

********* chapter seven**

* * *

Unfortunately for him, even as sleep deprived as he was, Eren still could not fall asleep in a moving vehicle - so even though he had to wake up at two o'clock, he was now desperately searching for any activity to occupy him on the four-hour flight to London.

He seemed to be the only one with nothing on his hands - Levi next to him was engrossed in his book and the rest of the crowded airplane was operating their different electronic devices or immersed in a blissful nap. Eren could not help but to look at those jealously with his heavy lidded eyes.

Although he didn't have a seat next to a window, he still stared through it the first hour or so, unintentionally irritating few people, over whose heads he kept looking – but it was his first time on a plane, so he was curious. So far he enjoyed every part of his first expierence flying - except maybe the process at the airport, but he wasn't conscious half the time, so what actually bothered him about it was Levi's rather violent way of dragging him places.

After taking in the unchanging scenery outside and the plane's interior for long enough, he reached for the only entertainment promising stuff he had brough with himself on the plane. Since he usually couldn't keep himself from painting every day, and knowing that now he will have to, he brought many pencils and a sketchbook with him.

_I will probably become mad with just this for so long... but it's way better than nothing at all._

He soon found himself on a fifth page, when a thought crossed his mind. He never asked Levi about how much spare time will they have.

"Hey, Levi?"

He hoped that just this will suffice to tear the man't attention away from his read.

"Hm."

Well, it kind of did?

"I was wondering… Will we be able to see some things in London? Like The National Gallery, I always wanted to go there."

Without lifting his gaze he replied with a quiet confirmative hum and then surprised Eren by bookmarking his page a moment later and closing the book. He left it on his lap, ready to pick it up again, but looked up at Eren.

"I was there a few times already, but I don't mind visiting it again with you, so you don't get locked up in there for the night… that would be troublesome."

"What the hell? I'm not an idiot," Eren sputtered.

"It's easy to forget about the time in those places," he carried on in with a steady voice.

For a while Eren was lost but then it occured to him, that Levi could be speaking from his own experience and it took him a lot of effort to hold in a chuckle. His attempt was successful, only his cheeks pushed his eyes into a slight squint. "You got locked in there?"

"I did not," his voice was unchanging, which made Eren unsure of where the truth was, but he decided it didn't matter and just soundlessly laughed at the image he pictured before.

Suddenly, Levi's gaze fell into Eren's lap and he leant in to flip through the pages of Eren's notebook without asking, catching the teen off guard and making him go tense at the unexpected closeness. Levi was lifting more and more pages at once, browsing away through the older drawings, now with the help of his second hand. It must have been a brief moment, but Eren felt three times more awake all of a sudden as he experienced the unnerving disturbance of his personal space.

However, when Levi was done with bluntly going through his sketchbook, leaving the pages fall into their original position and pushing his torso back into his own seat, Eren found it unnerving just as well.

"Those are not bad. Are they ideas or studies for paintings?"

"Uh.. Not really," his shock was disappearing, seeing how calm Levi was. After all, he was just looking through his drawings. It_ was_ work. Eren only weighted the possibility of lending the notebook to him next time, so he could place it in his own lap. If he reacts quickly enough, he will...

"Dedicated artist is the best artist, carry on then," he picked up his book long before Eren was done brooding over Levi's semi-compliment. And after a while he finally returned to drawing, like he was told to.

* * *

Levi was the first one to get into their temporary London apartment, swiftly pacing directly into one of the rooms to leave his stuff there. Eren later realised, that he must have known the ground plan and intentionally took the bigger and brighter room. He found it somehow childish, and therefore amusing, because he alone didn't care about where to dwell and he would have let Levi take whichever room he wanted in the first place.

So Eren followed suit and dropped his luggage in the other room. The apartment was a bit confined, but still offered the both of them enough privacy. Eren was never the one to look a gift horse in the mouth, and as neither one of them were paying for the place, he definitely wasn't going to complain.

He was too busy being tired anyway. Sitting down on the surprisingly comfortable couch in their shared living room, he quickly realised, he would be able to fall asleep right away. Levi was on his feet, apparently about to leave the flat.

"We are leaving?" his eyes most likely took the form of thin slits. He felt the eyelids turn heavier and heavier by every second ever since he sank his cheek into the sofa.

"No, not yet. It's still an early morning, the gallery doesn't open for few more hours, so you should sleep. But go to the bed and be up at nine," said Levi, still standing next to the entrance door. "The timezone changed by the way... so just be ready in three hours."

"Uh-uh," he settled for a wordless answer, because lifting himself up and shuffling into his room took all of his strenght. He was conscious enough to decide to set a timer instead of an alarm, not planning on figuring out what time it was, he fell asleep in a blink of an eye, leaving the giddiness from being in London at last for later that day.

* * *

The following week and a half were some of the fastest days in Eren's whole life. In the beginning he just kept on following Levi around everywhere, only partially catching what was going on, as they spoke in English. Levi translated to him from time to time, but only when he wanted an agreement on something.

The first time he heard Levi's change of language, he couldn't get enough of listening to it. His admiration for Levi climbed up a notch again and now he only wished to hear Levi speak in French - even thought he himself did not know a single word in it.

But all those thoughts started to gradually disappear and Eren was left feeling useles, trailing behind him all day long, so he decided to put all of his effort into making sense out of the gibberish.

When it came to school, Eren wasn't all that bad in English, he maybe had to work hard sometimes but now it all seemed to pay up - Eren himself was surprised when after few days he understood a lot of the matters, which were being discussed.

In the second week of their London trip he got so used to the environment and the problems that were being dealt with, that he slowly gained confidence in his own opinion and started to speak up from times to times. Levi seemed to value his notions and that only encouraged his participation further.

They were already completing the exposition. Eren ended up having the feeling for how to align his paintings to make them compliment each other the best. He and Levi soon worked in a perfect symbiosis - Eren laid down the main idea and Levi polished the concept into a perfect final result. No one would probably believe, that they were working together for less than a month and putting together Eren's very first personal exposition.

Everything went as planned and their job was completely done on Friday. On their way from the gallery Eren asked Levi if he had something he was planning to do, since they finished early.

"You probably want to go and explore the city, don't you? I am dead tired though," they were on their way to the apartment.

Eren was quiet for a little while, wishing Levi would continue... But he didn't. Levi had no intention of spending his spare time with him. Eren tried to push the disheartened feelings away, it was to be expected, he thought, they did spend almost all of the time together as it was.

"Yeah, you must be. I will go out by myself then," he hoped that his voice did not give away how letdown he was.

"I know I can't hold you back, but shouldn't you rest as well? The last week was exhausting. We can go out tomorrow," he was expressionless but the sentence itself warmed up Eren inside out as his previous conclusion was proved mistaken.

"I am not tired at all, I am deffinitely going out today!" Although he was exhausted, the excitement of getting a free afternoon in London overpowered it. "But tomorrow, too! Where will we go?"

"The National Gallery, of course, since we still haven't visited it and we are leaving tomorrow."

"Oh my god, I can't wait. To the gallery, I mean!" he quickly corrected himself, although there hardly was a need to.

As soon as they got inside, Levi headed to the bathroom and Eren went to his room just to put down his bag, get changed and then left immediately again.

He had no plan nor a destination. He was about to go and breathe in some of the early evening London atmosphere.

When he left the building, he intentionally took a different route than he did last weekend, as he ended up walking for hours then, and he was in no state to take such a long stroll this time around. He was exhausted after all the painting-hanging and moving them again and again until both him and Levi were satisfied. He would be glad to find a place to sit today, just take in his surroundings... and eat something, he added as he felt his stomach grumble.

He did walk quite far before settling for a bench with a seemingly neverending park on one side, but also provided a pretty view on a semi-crowded square surrounded by block of grand and imposing buildings. Eren was satisfied, taking a seat with a hotdog in his hand, this was a pretty spectacular view, considering he found it accidentally.

He wanted to paint so much, that it was getting unbearable. Especially the last few days. It was a torture, to make him spend almost two weeks in a gallery, observing his old works as well as works of other artists, but not having the opportunity to paint himself.

He started wishing he had brouht a sketching notebook out with himself today and it got him a bit after bit madder and madder, so he got up to go home pretty soon. Just before he left the square, he studied the statue in the middle of it and paced around the shop windows, half of which were already closed though.

* * *

Levi was sitting on the couch and reading when he got in.

Eren was positively freezing, his hair dripping raindrops and he went to make himself a hot tea right away.

"Dumbass, go take a shower, I will make the tea," said Levi sternly after taking in the drenched and slightly shivering teen.

"Oh, thanks. I was about to..."

"Don't get a cold when we've got plans, idiot," he arose from the couch to pushed him away from the kitchen.

Eren was so used to Levi calling him names by now, that he unconsciously started accepting them like if they were just normal nicknames. He could even decide which he liked less and which more. Idiot belonged to the latter... it was kind of embarrassing. Come to think of it. He should never admit it out loud.

As he stood under the warm waterfall, breathing in hot steam and slowly defrosting his body, he prayed not to get sick. He was so excited for tomorrow, it would not be fair for a stupid rain to ruin it.

He got out and right behind the door he was startled by Levi, who was offering him his warm tea with a slightly irritated expression.

"Thank you," Eren had no idea what was happening. He just grinned and walked past the man to escape and sit down on the sofa. Levi followed him, sitting next to him.

It was slightly odd how natural it was to share the sofa with Levi. They sat down side by side almost every evening, both of them taking 'their own' side, occupied by their usual activities. Levi turned out to be an absolute bookwarm and Eren usually drew throughout the evenings next to him.

However, tonight the bookwarm wasn't as concentrated on the pages. "Are you feeling alright?"

In no way would Eren condemn Levi's ability to take care of a sick person, but he would not have expected him to have the will to - especially with Eren not even being sick.

"I'm alright, Levi. I don't even get colds that easily anyway," he reassured him many times already, but now he noticed Levi's intense stare pointed at him, which made him stare back first and then drop his sight down onto his drawing quickly. A bit tensed up, he rapidly moved the pencil across the sheet to ensure the conversation was over.

* * *

He forgot to turn his alarm off and so he woke up the same time he would have on a workday. But as he practically crawled into the living room, he found Levi already there, eating breakfast and turning to him immediately to ask him if he was feeling all right.

"Mornin'... completely," he yawned and joined Levi for breakfast, "When do we go?"

"Whenever," he said, unfazed all of a sudden.

"They open at 10, so around then?"

Levi raised an eyebrow at Eren's cognizance and alertness so early in the morning, leavnig it without a comment though, just nodding slightly, "sure."

They packed and cleaned the apartment to give themselves a whole free day afterwards. It was on Levi's command. Eren would have left it on the last possible minute if he was by himself, but he didn't mind being pushed into finishing the inevitable task right away. He did however mind, that Levi forced him into recleaning his room and therefore making their time to go out quite delayed.

When they finally left, he was having trouble waiting on the stations or moving in a calm pace, wishing Levi was someone he could challenge into running to their destination. But as soon as it crossed his mind, he was absolutely sure, that such a thing had no possibility of working on the man, so he just tried to muffle his bubbling excitement.

But as soon as he recognised the Trafalgar Square, he just left Levi behind, running forward to get their tickets before the slowpaced part of the duo joined him. And when Levi eventually caught up, he laughed at him and remained making fun of his breathless condition.

"Jesus Christ, I am hanging out with a freak. But I should probably be glad you at least ran and not skipped... "

Eren kept on giggling, high from both the run and the excitement, until they hit the first room of the exhibit at last. Without intending to, they applied the habituated unison stride and circled through the gallery. They stayed silent sometimes, but mostly they engaged in heated debates, sharing their knowledge or opinions.

Except in the little room with The Arnolfini Portrait, where they basically quarelled. And even for so long that a guy working there came in and both his posture and look said "out!"

"Eren, you punk, you got thrown out..."

"You did, too, dammit. And she is definitely pregnant," he finally got his last word, receiving only a chuckle this time.

He didn't know about Levi, but he definitely wished they had even more time in there than they already had, just so they could maybe sit down at those comfortable looking seats, studying the countless paintings on the walls, alike all the other couples.

...

Eren felt the heat rise up onto his face, once he became aware of where his train of thoughts just departed. Levi gave him a curious look, when he started nervously giggling, scratching his scalp. He decided not to think much into it... and tried not to think much into it.

However, it still ended up crossing his mind from time to time, even after they left the exposition and went souvenir shopping. Well, it was Eren, who insisted on that part and promised to make it short, because he only needed to get Mikasa something, but before he got around to choosing anything, Levi came up to him with: "I am totally getting Ymir this!"

Eren goggled at the piece of fabric shoved into his face. He was looking at a ruby red shirt with the typical London bus scrawled across the whole torso in what reminded a messy white ink. No, actually more like if it was done by a drip painting technique. It was something that he himself would never lay eyes on, but Levi was spot on. Even if Ymir took it as a joke, she would still pull it off.

"Wow, you are good at this! How about you help me find something for my sister?"

"Hmm. I kind of need to know the peson in question to get them the right present," he said in a slow manner, as if talking to a stupid person.

"Geez, it was just a compliment," he turned around and went on his hunt so they would be free to go. It was very cold outside and that perhaps was an unconscious inspiration in choosing Mikasa's gift – a scarf with a mess of British flags all over it. It wasn't hard to buy things for Mikasa, she loved everything he got her.

When they got outside, Levi, out of nowhere, complained about being hungry and decided on his own, that he will treat Eren to a meal. The teen squealed a high "why?", being once again reminded of a date-like situation into which they were heading, but Levi came back with a valid argument.

"You paid the admission earlier?"

"Right!" he jumped at this entirely new piece of information, "right..."

They slipped into a restaurant and Levi mentioned that he has already been this place and liked it. Eren tried to push him into a longer narration, but there seemed to be no special story behind it, except that Levi crashed here at one of the many business trips to London he took at his previous job.

The place was a lot larger compared to the impression it gave off from the outside, with at least twenty tables in just the non-smoking part, where they sat down. Eren went a bit pale as he noticed the high ratio of couples all around them, but it should not have come as a big surprise - they did come in at the start of the dinner rush.

However, the surroundings still made him fidget. Even though he saw it was not a high-class business, he had trouble relaxing, in contrast to Levi, who seemed to be relishing in the atmosphere, comfortably settled in the slightly turned-away chair with his legs crossed.

"So how did you like London? Is it your favourite city now or what?" Levi said with an unsaying expression.

Eren started wondering aloud right away. "I wouldn't call it that... I'm too attached to my homecity to be able to ever hold a different place that precious. It is wonderful though. And I like how attractive everyone is here..." he trailed off for the momentary lack of attention, which he gave to the view behind the window, but picked up on the monologue short after: "Well, their crossings order them to 'look right' so..." he raised his shoulders and eyebrows in a grimace that fit perfectly to the dumb joke and then he noticed Levi's snicker.

"I, too, do appreciate the London style. It's more appealing than any I've seen so far."

"So what's yours?" Eren noticed on different occasions, that Levi mentioned travelling a lot and he was determined to hear all about it. "Favourite city, I mean."

"Well, probably the one to which I moved despite having to quit my job and nearly cut all ties..." he smiled at him, nearly grinned even and Eren felt like if they were getting closer. Which they might have, only not physically.

"My city?" he understood there was no reason for his cheeks to flush, but it was a matter in which reasoning had no effect, so when he felt the warmness, he only hoped that Levi would not notice.

"Yes. But I still need to see more of it in person. I have read more about it, than what I actually saw in reality..."

"I could show you around my favorite places. Maybe as a thanks for you showing me around here?"

"That sounds interesting, let's do that... But you don't have to feel indebted or anything, this is my job. You are paying me, after all."

Eren's shoulders cramped. It took a lot of will to keep a straight face while pointing out to Levi, that it was a weekend and he shouldn't feel obliged to be with him.

"It is weekend right? My point exactly... don't feel in debt, I really wanted to go today."

* * *

The high-raising landscape behind the windows has turned pitch black and both Eren and Levi were sharing the couch for the last time. Engaged in their usual activities, they waited for the last few tens of minutes to pass by.

Eren's pencil was sliding across the block, only having few pages left before he will reach the back cover. He was absentmindedly looking back at the whole trip. He roamed from the business stuff to leisure time, from the english parks and National Gallery to the time spent with Levi...

"Levi?"

He knew that the addressed man, when reading, reacted with a hum at most, so he continued after receiving one.

"Would you mind if I drew you? Just for now, I mean... I'm bored of scribbling and I miss figural drawing, too."

Levi looked up at him with a jolt and a hint of shock across his features.

"...I guess it is alright," came the hesitant reply after a moment of consideration.

"You can keep on reading," Eren pointed at the book with his chin, smiling cheerfully and shuffling himself on the sofa to face his object of study.

Levi did exactly that, returning to his read as if there was no teen next to him studying his face and capturing it in detail. On the other side, Eren shuffled few more times towards Levi. He did it knowingly, keeping enough of distance in order to not bother Levi, but he barely ever had an apportunity to draw a portrait from such a short distance, so an urge of perfecting this one grew in him. He knew there was not enough time for finishing it, so he only concentrated on some details that would describe the object's personality and mood the best.

The man's head was in the perfect profile angle and because he was reading, he was lowering his head in a way that made the muscles below his undercut flexed and stand out. Since he was looking down, Eren took more time on the eyebrow rather than the eye itself and after finding the right place for it, he focused at the petite nose, which followed almost a perfect curve, chin and lastly the lips.

He was immersed with drawing him for over twenty minutes, when he narrowed the distance between then again, this time turning Levi's attention to him. "It's finished?"

"It needs two more hours minimally," he said, but turned around the drawing for Levi to see, with his eyes still fixated at the man's face, studying the new detailes on it, that showed after Levi raised his head up.

Levi grabbed the block and took almost no time with checking it. "Oh. It's me," he laughed quietly and met Eren's gaze. And he did not react, even when he saw the teen shifting his attention to his lips.

Eren did not waste a second, using his hands as a leverage to shift himself the closest he could and caught Levi's lips with his own. The initially soft peck was prolonged by the both of them parting their lips slightly and meeting again. However, Levi tore them apart suddenly, pushing Eren away. Eren kneeled back and dully looked at him. He did not understand what he did nor what Levi thought, but both of them were looking at each other with confusion in their eyes.

Levi was the first to get up, and despite Eren's expectations, he wasn't running away, but instead told him, that it was time to leave.

_Is this a good or a bad timing? _

They didn't exchange a word during the full lenght of their way home. Never before had Eren found silence so suffocating as when _these_ hours hobbled by. And as impulsive as he was back in the apartment, now he couldn't stop deciding on how to begin his apology and ended up never offering one.

It would have been easier if Levi looked angry or absolutely undisturbed. Hell, anything would be better than that illegible expression, which hinted either saddnes or a disappointment.

Eren's longing for a canvas before him grew sevenfold even in the comparison to the last evening, through which, he then thought, he suffered...

* * *

T_T

It's 23:23 (clap twice!) and I am leaving early tomorrow for Dresden. I had to finish this chapter so these idiots wouldn't stroll around London, while I am looking for them in Zwinger, you know?

Turns out Levi is into war literature probably...? hmm. But I hardly remember anything about WW2 Germany except from Hetalia dammit)))

This chapter took some time, but it's extra long, so I hope that makes up for it. Also.. progress~

_Thank you SO much for reviews guys, I fell from stairs jumping in happiness (but ima arrite, im arrite)_


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